Annual and Interdecadal Variability of the Available Potential Energy in the Black Sea

Abstract

On the basis of the climatic data array on temperature and salinity including the data of observations carried out at 102,000 oceanographic stations in 1910–1998, we estimate the amount of available potential energy of large-scale processes in the 0–300-m layer of the Black Sea and study its annual variability. The annual average amount of available potential energy in the active 0–300-m layer is equal to 13.5×1014 J, its maximum amount attained in March is 25×1014 J, and its minimum amount attained in August is 8×1014 J. In the autumn–winter period, the density of available potential energy in the 0–50-m layer increases and its maximum is attained in December–January (30 J/m3). Beginning with January, the density of available potential energy increases in the layer of the main pycnocline (50–150 m). Its maximum is attained in March (50 J/m3) and then this quantity decreases till August (down to 14 J/m3). In August, we study the interdecadal variability of the available potential energy in the 50–300-m layer by using the data accumulated for decadal periods with five-year shifts in 1956–1995. The maximum variability is observed at a depth of 100 m. The maximum average (over the sea) amounts of available potential energy were observed in 1961–1970 and 1986–1995. The minimum amounts were recorded in 1976–1985.